Hungry Carroll could be a loan star

Premier League / 13 July 2012, 12:08pm

Jamie Redknapp

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 14: Andy Carroll of Liverpool looks on during the FA Cup with Budweiser Semi Final match between Liverpool and Everton at Wembley Stadium on April 14, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Scott Heavey/Getty Images)

Andy Carroll has a lot to offer. He’s 23 and reminded us when he played for England against Sweden what he can do when he is on top of his game. Get the quality into the box and he will score.

So why does it seem that Liverpool want to sell him now, just when it looked as if he had turned the corner?

The problem for Carroll is that the new manager, Brendan Rodgers, plays with one up and that one player will be Luis Suarez.

So Carroll has a choice: does he accept his role as the understudy and stay and fight for his place, or does he accept he is surplus to requirements and move away?

If Liverpool want to move him on, he’s a fantastic loan. He’s a good player. No wonder West Ham are interested in that temporary deal.

West Ham were very direct at times last season in their promotion campaign and Carroll is a serious threat in the air. He can lead the line, play up on his own and score. Carlton Cole has that role at the moment, but does he score enough? Carroll will give West Ham something extra.

It is an ambitious plan and, if David Sullivan and David Gold can pull it off, I can imagine the excitement it will create at Upton Park. It would be the biggest signing since Carlos Tevez.

Other clubs are interested and a return to Newcastle and his native North East might appeal to Carroll. Fulham too have been mentioned, as well as clubs abroad. I wonder if Spurs might switch their target from Emmanuel Adebayor – chairman Daniel Levy has admired Carroll before and tried to sign him.

It’s been a remarkable few weeks for Carroll, having been picked for England and scoring that stunning header from a Steven Gerrard cross.

It made me think that Brendan would be licking his lips at the prospect of recreating that moment on a regular basis. ‘Gerrard cross, Carroll header’ sounded like a recipe for success, but the new manager has his own distinct way of playing and won’t play 4-4-2.

Carroll struggled to settle after his transfer from Newcastle and would regularly misjudge flick-ons and struggle for his touch when playing with his back to goal. At times, he didn’t even look like a Premier League footballer, let alone a Liverpool footballer.

His confidence was drained and, like all goalscorers, his performance suffered. I’ve worked with Alan Shearer and Robbie Fowler, the masters of their art, and they were different players when lacking in confidence.

Carroll scored only six league goals last season – a poor return after his £35million transfer fee. But he scored in derby games against Everton, one at Goodison and one at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final. And that always helps a player to endear himself to the Liverpool crowd.

His form was good at the end of the season, where he gave John Terry a chasing and also terrorised Blackburn. And then he went away with England, made the squad, got in the team and scored.

Now he will be wondering what to do next. He will sit down with his agent and ask, ‘Where is my future? Liverpool or somewhere else?’

Does he have to go? No he doesn’t. He can just sit tight, fight for his place and wait and see. That’s the way of the modern footballer in the days of player power.

If a club can get him on loan they will find a hungry player, with a point to prove. – Daily Mail